Open end transit concrete mixing drum



J. F. OURY OPEN END TRANSIT CONCRETE MIXING DRUM May 11, 1954 4 Sheet-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 22, 1951 May 11, 1954 QURY OPEN END TRANSIT CONCRETE MIXING DRUM 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 22, 1951 fivezafor.

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May 11, 1954 J. F. OURY 2,678,197

OPEN END TRANSIT CONCRETE MIXING DRUM Filed Sept. 22/1951 y 1, 1954 J. F. OURY 2,678,197

OPEN END TRANSIT CONCRETE MIXING DRUM Filed Sept. 22, 195] 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented May 11, 1954 OPEN END TRANSIT CONCRETE MIXING DRUM John Foster Oury, Du Page County, Ill., assignor to Oury Engineering Company, Wheaten, 11]., a

co-partnership Application September 22, 1951, Serial No. 247,780

12 Claims. (01. 259-461) My invention relates to an open end concrete mixing drum and has particular reference to a mixing drum for use in transit concrete mixing where the lading is loaded into the drum through its rear open end and distributed in the drum by the rotation thereof, and in which the mixing of the lading is continued while the load is in transit, and when the truck reaches its destination, the lading is discharged in an even steady stream by a reversal of rotation of the drum and without the necessity of opening a closure member, a seal, or the like.

Another and further object of my invention is the provision of a concrete mixing drum having an end construction which enables the drum to be charged to capacity and in which the mixing operation of the lading is completed and there is no loss of materialflowing from the rear open end or dribbling therefrom while the truck is in transit, and it is not necessary to open some form of closure member when the lading is discharged from the drum.

Another and further object of my invention is the provision of an open end transit mixing drum having a rearend construction through which the lading for the drum is charged during the filling of the drum, but so arranged when the discharge operation takes place, that the mixture is discharged in a steady even flow and uniform stream so the discharged material can better be handled in the building of roadways, foundations and walls for buildings and the like.

Another and further object of my invention is the provision of a concrete transit mixing drum in which the internal construction of the drum is such that a receiving and discharge part of the drum is provided near the rear end and forward therefrom is a transporting and mixing portion of the drum, the position of the material therein being controlled by the rotation of the drum.

Another and further object of my invention is the provision of a mixing drum which by only slight increase in dimension, a drum is provided having a lading capacity for both transportand mixing purposes of approximately one quarter greater than other drums nowin commercial use of comparable size, and yet is able to comply with load requirements of the highway departments relating to the weight transported per axle or wheel of a truck.

These and other objects of my invention will be more fully and better understood by referenceto the accompanying drawings andin which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through my improved drum on lines l-I' of Figure 5.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through my improved drum on lines 2-2 of Figure5.

ing and mixing operations.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view on lines 3-3 of Figure 5 with the drum rotated degrees from the view of Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a horizontal view on lines 4-4 of Figure 5 with the drum rotated 90 degrees from the View of Figures 1 and 2, and

Figure 5 is a vertical rear end view of the drum of my improved invention.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, a mixing drum it is shown which is open at its rear end and has a saucer-shaped closure head H at its front end with a ring 52 at its rear end secured to the drum shell in any approved manner. A pair of sills, l3 and M, are provided, which are adapted to be fitted upon a truck chassis in any approved manner, having vertical supports i5, i5 thereon and braces It, it towards its rear end connecting the sills I3 and I4 and the braces H5, H5 with rollers l1, l1 mounted in brackets l8, it on the upper ends of the supports !5, I5 and in engagement with a circumferential extending track I9 secured to the drum shell which rests upon and rotates on the rollers I1, I? and serves to support the drum. A pillow block 26 is mounted upon the sills I 3 and i l at their forward ends and normally has power transmitting apparatus therein similar to that described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 218,981, filed April 3, 1951. V

The head II has a plate 2! welded or otherwise secured thereto upon which an axle 22 is mounted, the outer end of which is mounted in a hearing 23 in a bracket 24 secured to the top of the pillow block 2i]. A sprocket wheel 25 is secured to the plate 2! and has a sprocket chain '26 thereover which is connected with a smaller sprocket Z! on the end of a power shaft 28 connected with the power transmitting mechanism located in the pillow block 2i] and which forms no part of my present invention.

Secured to the inner side of the shell forming the drum in is a pair of spirally arranged blades 29 and 39, each of said blades extending from the rear open end of the drum in spaced relationwith each other forwardly of the drums substantially to the forward end thereof, and forms, in effect, a double Archimedes screw internally of and substantially throughout the length of the drum ii), and performs three functions; moving the concrete mix toward the front end of the drum until it flows rearward, thereby filling the drum, mixing the contents of the drum when the drum is rotated in the proper direction, and discharging the material from the rear open end of the drum i9 when the drum is rotated in the opposite direction from the charg- The blades 29 and 3 36 at their rear ends are mounted so their rear sides are in register with the open end of the drum, with their rear ends on opposite sides of the drum at 180 degrees to each other, and terminate adjacent the front of the drum in register with each other so the blade is extends for approximately three turns in the drum iii, while the blade 3i! extends for only approximately two and one half turns in the drum it. 7

VA vane 3i, semi-circular in form somewhat triangular in shape, is secured to the edge of the blade 38 at its rear end, the rear edge of the vane Bl terminating in register the rear end of the drum iii and its forward edge terminating at the edge of the blade 38. A simi larly shapedoand curvedivane 32 is secured to the blade at at its rear-end, with the forward edge of the vane 32 terminating on the edge of the blade 29 with its rear edge being in register with the ends of the blades is and'fit, the two vanes 3i and 32 forming a pair of receiving chutes at the rear of the drum in into which the mix is received during the charging of the drum and through which the mix is conveyed and distributed sufiiciently so the mix can be conveyed toward the front end of the drum so there is no damming up of the mixture at the rear of the drum, and also forms discharge charr nels 33 and 3t around the outer periphery of the curved vanes 3i and 32 through which the mixture is discharged as is more fully described hereinafter.

4 r V and 46. The bafiie 41, therefore, divides the space in the drum substantially into a combined receiving and discharging part to the rear of the baifie 4i and a mixing space forward of the A charging chute 48 is provided having a air cular discharge end 49 which is fitted into the circular area at the rear end'of the drum ill formed'by-the vanes 3! and 32, and forms a chute through which the lading passes during the charging operation over the plates 35 and M into 7 15 plate 59 issecured to the blades 29 and as and A plate as is welded to the edges of the blades 29 and 3B and spans the space in front of the blade 35 and to the rear of the blade for approximately three quarters of a turn in the drum ill towards the front end thereof, the leading rear ,edge 36 of the plate 35 being adjacent the Space 3'! between the blades 3t and and at the inner end of the major portion of the curved vane 3i but offset radially slightly with respect to the free side edge of the vane 3i, while the forward 7 ledge 38 of the plate 35 is adjacent the space 39 betweentherear face of the blade 29 and the front face of the blade 36 intermediate the ends of the drum iii. Atunnel is is thereby formed by the blades 29 and 3t) and platelfss which pore forms the function of mixing the lading and spans the space rearward of the blade 29 and forwardly of the blade'lill, the rear edge 5| of the plate 5.8 being adjacent the space as and extends forwardly of the drum Hi to the forward ends of the blades 29 and 3! thereby forming a tunnel 52 through which asubstantial portion of the lading passes during the charging and mixing operations and also serves to move the lading rearwardly during the discharge operation of 5 the drum 69.

In operation of the drum, it will be understood that the drum is mounted on a truck chassis and that in the charging operation, the charging chute it is placed under a discharge spout from the mixer at the concrete mixing plant. The

revolution of the drum is commenced. in a clockwise direction as viewed from the rear of the drum, and the partially mixed 'lading flows from the charging chute A! through its discharge end 35 59 into the channels 31 and 43 and against the rear side of the baffle from where the material enters the tunnels 48 and 46 and is moved longitudinally of the drum it] towards the central portion thereof and forward of the baffle Al. The

40 material from the tunnel 4c is discharged into a moving it longitudinally of the drum iii in either direction depending upon the direction of the rotation of the drum is. V

g o A plate M is secured to the edges of the blades 28 and 35, this plate being of spiral form and spanning the space forward of the blade 29 and ward edge 44 being positioned at the beginning of an open channeled, whereby a tunnel as is V I formed which serves to move the lading forward of the drumiduring the charging operation of V the drum is, and rearward of the drum Hi when l i V A bafiie ilo extends transversely of the drum ill near the rear the drum is discharging its lading.

end thereofrand is welded or otherwise secured toothe plates 35 and ti thereby forming a central 7 barrier for the drum iii which prevents the material from moving longitudinally of the'drum it except through the tunnels and st. The ends of each of the tunnels it and sl t are on opposite sides of the baffle Al so the material may not flow centrally of the drum iii, but can pass the baffle only by flowing around it through the tunnels 40 channel at its end with the material from both tunnels t8 and sit flowing by gravity toward the front end of theidrum l0, and. being forced forwardly by the blades 29 and 3f! while a portion wardly until a mass of material is built up at the forward end of the drum is to such an extent that a hydrostatic pressure head'is formed which forces the material rearward centrally of the The material is churned and tumbled in the interior of the drum until mixed thoroughly and the drum ultimately filled, if desired, to the load line 53 as indicated in Figures 1 and 2. The material is measured as it is charged into the drum is so the required quantity isdelivered to the drum. However, if somequantity less than a full,

load is desired, such measured quantity is loaded H into the drum, orifa full load is desireda sum cient quantity of material is charged to reach the load lei/e153." When this result is accomplished the: truck leaves the central plant with the drum being revolved at a rate of speed to insure thorough mixing by the time the truck reaches its destination. Some material will back :into the front ends of the'tunnels l-Qand at but not enough so any'part'of the load willbe lost while enroute to its destination even though the rota- 4) tion of the drum be discontinued, altho as long as the drum rotates in a clockwise direction, the material is forcedforwardly in thedrum by the action of the blades!!! and 3B. 7

When the truck reaches its destination it is 7:; spotted so the rear end of the drum i0 is ad- 'is picked up by the tunnel 52 and forced fordrum where portions become mixed withmaterial being discharged from the tunnels it and 46.:

jacent the point of use of the concrete, and when the operator desires to discharge the lading, the direction of rotation of the drum is reversed and the material is moved rearward of the drum It! until it is picked up by the foreward ends of the tunnels 40 and 45 and discharged at their rear ends into the spaces 31 and 43 where the material is pushed out the rear by the blades 29 and 30 through the discharge passages 33 and 34 around the outer periphery of the vanes 3! and 32 into the usual gathering chute at the rear of the drum II] which is no part of the present invention. The discharge of the material is in a relatively steady stream because of the relative positions of the discharge passages 33 and 34 at the point of discharge of the material, but the rate of discharge flow can be controlled by regulating the speed of rotation of the drum Ill. A complete emptying of the drum is accomplished because any loose material at the forward end of the drum [0 is picked up by the tunnel 52 and conveyed rearward where such material is mainly picked up by the tunnel 48, but ultimately by one or the other of the tunnels 40 and 45 and discharged from the drum Ill as above described.

While I have described more or less precisely the details of construction, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as I contemplate changes in form and the proportion of parts and the substitution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest or render expedient without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

In the claims:

1. A rotatable concrete mixing drum open at one of its ends, a plurality of spirally arranged blades secured to the wall of the drum internally thereof and extending from said open end of the drum substantially the length of the drum towards the opposite end, a pair of arcuate vanes generally triangular in form secured along one of their edges to the inner edges of the ends of each of said blades at the open end of the drum whereby a central charging chute is formed at the open end of the said drum and a pair of d charge passages is formed around the said arcuate vanes, a pair of spirally arranged plates secured to the edges of the spirally arranged blades spaced forwardly of the said arcuate plates whereby material receiving passages are formed, the said plates extending away from the open end of the said drum whereby tunnels are formed therein and a bafile secured to the said spirally arranged plates extending transversely of the said drum and closing the central space in the drum formed by the said spiral plates.

2. A rotatable concrete mixing drum open at one of its ends, a plurality of spirally arranged blades secured to the wall of the drum internally thereof and extending from said open end of the drum substantially the length of the drum towards the opposite end, a pair of arcuate vanes generally triangular in form secured to the inner edges of the end portions of each of said blades at the open end of the drum whereby a central charging chute is formed at the open end of the said drum and a pair of discharge passages is formed around the said arcuate vanes, a pair of spirally arranged plates secured to the inner edges of the spirally arranged blades spaced forwardly of the said arcuate plates whereby open material receiving spaces are provided and extending away from the open end of the said drum whereby tunnels are formed therein and a baiile secured to the said spirally arranged plates ex-,

6 tending transversely of the said drum and closing the central space in the drum formed by the said spiral plates, the said tunnels having one of their terminals forwardly of the said baille.

3. A rotatable concrete mixing drum open at one of its ends and closed at the opposite end, a plurality of spirally arranged blades secured to the wall of the drum internally thereof and extending from said open end of the drum substantially the length of the drum towards the opposite end, a pair of arcuate vanes generally triangular in form secured to the end portions of each of said blades at the open end of the drum whereby a central charging chute is formed at the open end of the said drum and a pair of discharge passages is formed around the said arcuate vanes, a pair of spirally arranged plates secured to the edges of the spirally arranged blades spaced from the said arcuate wanes along the marginal edges of the said plates toward the closed end of the drum whereby tunnels are formed therein and a bailie secured to the said spirally arranged plates extending transversely of the said drum and closing the central space in the drum formed by the said spiral plates, the terminals of each of said tunnels being on opposite sides of the said baffle.

4. A rotatable concrete mixing drum open at one of its ends and closed at its opposite end, a plurality of spirally arranged blades secured to the wall of the drum internally thereof and extending from said open end of the drum substantially the length of the drum towards the closed end, a pair of arcuate vanes generally triangular in form secured to the end portions of each of said blades adjacent the open end of the drum whereby a central charging chute is formed at the open end of the said drum and a pair of discharge passages is formed around the said arcuate vanes, a pair of spirally arranged plates secured to the edges of the adjacent spirally arranged blades spaced forwardly of the said arcuate vanes whereby a material receiving opening is provided between adjacent blades and extending forwardly of the said drum towards the closed end whereby tunnels are formed therein and a baille secured to the said spirally arranged plates extending transversely of the said drum and closing the central space in the drum formed by the said spiral plates, the ends of each of said tunnels being offset radially with respect to each other and each end of each tunnel being on opposite sides of the said bafiie.

5. A rotatable concrete mixing drum open at one of its ends and closed at its opposite end, a plurality of spirally arranged blades in the said drum extending from its open end towards the closed end substantially throughout the length of the drum, spiral covers secured to adjacent blades inward from the open end of the drum and extending forwardly thereof, whereby material receiving passages and spirally extending tunnels are formed between adjacent blades and a baffle extending transversely of the drum secured to the said plates whereby the drum is divided into a combined receiving and discharging area and a mixing area.

6. A rotatable concrete mixing drum open at one of its ends and closed at its opposite end, a plurality of spirally arranged blades in the said drum extending from its open end towards the closed end substantially throughout the length of the drum, spiral coverssecured to the adjacent blades inward from their ends at the open end of the drum extending forwardly thereof whereby spirally extending tunnels are formed and a bafile extending transversely of the drum secured to the said plates whereby the drum is divided into a combined receiving and discharging area and a mixing area, the ends of the said tunnels being on opposite sides of the said bafiie whereby communicating passages between the receiving and discharging area and the mixing area are formed.

'7. A rotatable concrete mixing drum open at one of its ends and closed at its opposite end, a plurality of spirally arranged blades in the said drum extending from its open end towards the closed end substantially throughout the length 7 of the drum, spiral covers secured to the adjacent blades inward from their rear ends extending forwardly thereof, whereby spirally extending tunnels are formed with open receiving channels between the ends of the tunnels and the open end of, the drum, and a bafiie extending transversely of the drum secured to the said plates whereby the drum is divided into a combined receiving and discharging area and a mixing area, the ends of the said tunnels being on opposite sides of the said baffle whereby communicating passages between the receivin and discharging area and the mixing area are formed.

8. A rotatable concrete mixing drum open at one of its ends and closed at its opposite end, a plurality of spirally arranged blades on the inner wall thereof extending from the open end toward the closed end throughout the substantial length of the drum, a plurality of cover plates secured to the edges of adjacent blade from a point inward from the ends of the blades at the open end of the drum whereby a plurality of tunnels are formed with open spaces between adjacent blades between their ends at the open end of the drum and the ends of the tunnels nearest the open end of the drum, a transversely extend-' ing baffle secured to the said cover plates forming a closure for the central portion of the drum,

and being positioned intermediate the ends of the said tunnels, and vanes secured to the edges of the adjacent blades at their ends at the open end of the drum and terminating at the open end of the drum and at the edges of the said open spaces between the blades.

9. A rotatable concrete mixing drum open at its rear end and closed at its opposite end, a plurality of spirally arranged blades on the innor wall thereof extending from the open end toward the closed end throughout the substantial length of the drum, a plurality of cover plates 5 secured to the edges of the adjacent blades and extending from a point inward of the ends of the blades at the open end of the drum towards the closed end of the drum whereby a plurality of tunnels are formed which tunnels are in communication with the uncovered spaces between the blades rearwardly beyond the cover plates and adjacent to the open rear end of the drum,

7 a transversely extendin bafile secured to the said cover plates forming a closure for the central portion of the drum, and being positioned intermediate the ends of the said tunnels, and a plurality of semi-circular substantially triangular vanes secured respectively to the edges of the said blades adjacent to the open rear end of the drum with the rear edges of the vanes in register with the rear end of the said drum and with the forward edges of the vanes terminating at the edges of the blades and. adjacent the said open spaces between the blades wherby a central charging. passage is formed, centrally or the said vanes and discharging passages are formed by the wall of the drum and adjacent blades around the said vanes.

10. A rotatable concrete mixing drum open at one of its ends, spirally arranged blades secured to the wall of the drum internally thereof extending substantially the length of the drum, vanes secured to the said blades at the open rear end of the drum whereby a central chargin chute is formed in said drum and discharge channels are formed externally of the said vanes, cover plates secured to the inner edges of adjacent spiral blades whereby tunnels are formed in the said drum, the ends of the said plates toward the open end of the drum being out or register with the edges of the vanes whereby the space between the said blades is open to receive material delivered from the central charging chute and a baffle secured at its marginal edges to the said cover plates and spanning the space centrally of the said drum formed by the cover plates secured to the edges.

11. A drum for truck-type concrete mixers comprising, a drum havin an open rear end, a plurality of blades on the interior of the drum and spiralled from one end to the other to move the drum contents forwardly or rearwardly in the drum as the drum is rotated in mixing and dischargin directions respectively, a member cooperating with the blades at the rear of the drum to define spiral tunnels about the exterior of the said member between the blades and the interior of the drum, a bafiie spaced from the open end of the drum and secured to said member to prevent ingress or egress centrally or" the said member, and apertures in said member rearwardly of said bame aifording access to each of said tunnels from the space centrally of said member at the rear of the drum whereby material may be introduced to the drum through said space, said apertures, and said tunnels and may be ejected from said drum through said tunnels.

12. A drum for truck-type concrete mixers comprising, a drum having an open rear end, a plurality of blades on the interior of the drum and spiralled from one end to the other to move the drum contents forwardly or rearwardly in.

the drum as the drum is rotated in mixing and discharging directions respectively, and members secured to the inner marginal edges of the adjacent blades at their ends terminating at the open end of the said drum whereby spiral tunnels are formed in said drum between the blades and the wall of the drums, the members being spaced from each other along the marginal edges of the said blades whereby material receiving spaces between the blades are formed in the said drum, the said members forming central chargmg and mixing spaces in the said drum and a transverse bafiie secured at its marginal edges to certain of said members whereby the mixing and discharge spaces are separated.

References Cited in the file of this patent 50,0 35 Switzerland Dec. 3, 1909 

